At the 2014 Fossil Fuel Divestment Convergence, students renewed their pledge to dig deep, link up, and take action

Last Thursday, anti-apartheid icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu came out with an article calling for an “apartheid-style boycott to save the planet.” Tutu says we can halt climate change if we use the tactics that worked in South Africa against the worst carbon emitters: fossil fuel companies. This was followed by news on Saturday that Pitzer College in Southern California had come up with a breakthrough climate action plan that included divesting its holdings from fossil fuels by the end of the year.

Light rail might have a certain cool cachet, but buses are the way to go

There has always been something romantic about trains. Think of the passenger rail of a century ago and you likely imagine classy sleeper coaches and fancy dining cars. Even the commuter rail of decades past – streetcars and interurbans – seems to possess a glamorous vibe. Maybe it’s just the fact that everyone dressed better back then, but once upon a time commuters rode in style.

Yet I wonder if our sentimentality for rail is keeping public transit stuck in the past. There seems to be a feeling that buses are “substandard” – second class – when compared to “genteel” rail. This is unfortunate – especially in an age in which… more

Political support for divestment grows as more campuses and cities join the movement

Student groups at more than 60 colleges and universities across the country hosted events last Thursday, May 2, declaring “fossil freedom” as part of 350.org’s Fossil Freedom Day of Action. The “Day of Action” was meant to highlight the work students — often in partnership with alumni, faculty, and administrators — have done over the past six months to persuade their institutions to divest from fossil fuels.

Photo courtesy 350.orgStudents say the fossil fuel divestment campaign gives them the opportunity to take action on climate change.

Water treatment for these mines could cost as much as $67 billion per year

In the midst of declining fresh water supplies, an increasing number of hard rock mining companies are causing water pollution that will last for hundreds or thousands of years, says a new report published yesterday.

Photo by Maryland Attorney General/Doug GanslerAn acid drainage from an abandoned coal mine pollutes a creek in Barton, Maryland. Acid mine drainage is the primary cause of lasting pollution of water sources from mining operations.

The report by the mining watchdog group Earthworks, reveals that an estimated 17 to 27 billion gallons of polluted water will be generated by 40 existing… more

Campaigners from Corporate Accountability International complain of Coca-Cola’s influence in the parks

With their labels depicting pristine pools of spring water near majestic alpine peaks, some people might still be under the illusion that bottled water is somehow superior to plain old tap water. But if you just look here, here, and here, you’ll see that in fact bottled water isn’t safer than tap water, creates unnecessary plastic waste, and costs thousands of times more than what comes out of your faucet.

Photo by Leonard John MatthewsSince bottled water suddenly became popular 20 years ago, they have become a significant burden on our parks’ trash disposal and recycling… more